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Thursday, October 30, 2008

I think I have discovered what is slowing me down about Little Brother by Cory Doctrow. Sometimes the book is too interested in explaining how things work. I appreciate the explanations, but sometimes they just drag the story down. It slows it down so much, that by the time the explanation is finished, you can't remember what the narrator was talking about when he started the explanation.

This book brings up some interesting security issuses and some debate. It would be a good one to discuss, but I don't know if teens will have the patience to make it to the end. I really want to know how it ends, but I am not sure I have the patience to get there myself. I am currently on page 180 and chugging along. This book is a bit sluggish. It isn't the page turner Hunger Games was.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

I am starting to look at some of the titles listed for the Mock Printz Awards. Little Brother is included as is Hunger Games which most certainly has my vote. I am trying to get my hands on some of the others. I did manage to check out and start Adoration of Jenna Fox. This one looks interesting, but we will have to wait and see.

I have gotten to page 100 in Little Brother. The story is fast paced, but I am not sure it is holding my attention very well. I don't want to quit--I really want to finish it because I think it will be a really interesting book, but right now it isn't holding my attention. That could certainly be my fault since I haven't had much time to read lately, and have had too many things on my mind.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

I have been so busy the past few days I haven't had time to read much, but I finally started Little Brother by Cory Doctrow. This book seems to be keeping up the action and the suspense. If that continues I may really get into this book. Many of my holds came in too, so now I have several of the books I have been waiting to read, but no time to read them. Wonderful! Hopefully, I will have more time this weekend, but I doubt it.

Monday, October 20, 2008

As you can see, I finished another book in the Keys to the Kingdom Series by Garth Nix. This was book five Lady Friday. I am still in my book lull. I know I want to go on to book 6, but it is currently checked out, so I will have to wait. I have two books on CD that I am tempted to try listening to, the first is Little Brother and the other is Maximum Ride the Angel Experiment. I really should listen to Maximum Ride first, but when I tried reading that I really didn't enjoy it much. I need to get out of my reading blahs and try something else, but that is easier said than done, when the books you really want to read are still checked out.

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I found myself waiting for this book to end. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, but I couldn't help feeling that the real battle is still yet to come. Unlike in the last book, where the alternating chapters were interesting, this time I found them tedious with Leaf basically in the middle of nowhere. I hope the next book proves better.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

I started Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan last night. I got to chapter 3, but I am not sure this is one that I am going to stick with. I love Rick Riordan's other books for children and teens, but I am having trouble getting in to this one. Twenty pages in, and it still isn't hooking me--usually that is beyond my limit, but since I like the author I will keep going. I know Scholastic is making a lot of the trading card game with the clues. I am wondering how essential they are to the story. Will I be able to follow the story without buying into the clues? I guess there is only one way to find out.

In the mean time, I am looking at other books to read. I am still in that blah mood that finishing The Hunger Games left me in. That book was so good, nothing else seems to hold a candle to it, and I am having trouble getting into other books when I just want more of The Hunger Games. I can't wait until the next book in the series comes out.

Friday, October 17, 2008

I just finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and have entered that faze that follows the reading of a really good book. You know the one...where you want more like that book, and nothing is the same. Compound that problem with the fact that none of my holds are ready to pick up and you guessed it! I have entered the dreaded Reading Blahs.

I have a couple that I am looking at, and yes I am still listening to Garth Nix'sLady Friday, but that one really isn't the same quality as The Hunger Games. Two others I am looking at reading are Little Brother by Cory Doctorow and Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel. They look like they have potential, but at this point I don't know if it will be enough to interest me. I will try all the same.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

rating: 5 of 5 stars
WOW! This book was addictive. I couldn't put it down. The story takes place in a dystopian future where the United States no longer exists. In its place is a country called Panem which consists of a Capitol City and 12 Districts. At one time the country had 13 districts, but the 13th was destroyed when the districts rebelled against Capitol City. As a way of keeping the districts in line, each year all children between the ages of 12 and 18 are required to attend the reaping, where one boy and one girl will be chosen to represent their district in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are a televised fight to the death where the 24 tributes compete to be the last one standing. When Katniss's 12 year old sister, Prim, is chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her place in the games. Katniss is whisked away to Capitol City where she is to prepare for the games. This include, interviews, training scores, and hopefully appealing to and attaining sponsors who will provide her with supplies that she will need to survive. She is pampered, styled, interviewed, and eventually dropped off in the middle of a wilderness arena where she competes to live.

Cautions: This book is definitely for older teens due to the violence of the story. There is no sex, but some nakedness when her stylist has her stand naked to fit her for her outfits for the game’s ceremonies and interviews. This nudity isn’t explicit, is handled tastefully, and not much is made of it. There are blood and injuries, not to mention violent deaths.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

I am almost finished with The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This is a great book. I know it is the first in a series, but I honestly don't know if I can wait for the next one. The book is gripping from page one. I just wish I had more time so I could finish the last 28 pages of the novel.

We hosted a Twilight book discussion last night. We only had 5 teens show up, but we had a good time discussing the books. Since everyone had read all four of the books we expanded the discussion to include Breaking Dawn. I also got several to vote for the Teens Top Ten. Hopefully I can get a few more at our program on Wednesday.

Friday, October 10, 2008

This is my first post in this new blog. I am still getting a feel for using this site, and will probably continue to update and change things as time goes on. I started my first blog, which is a little disappointing at Livejournal.com. It too includes book reviews. You are welcome to visit it, it is located at http://wheems01.livejournal.com/.

Right now I am reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This book is really absorbing. It features a girl named Katniss who lives in District 12. In her society which is located in a futuristic North American where there is no USA, there are 12 districts run by Central City. There used to be 13 districts, but when the districts rebelled against Central City, district 13 was destroyed as an example to the others. Every year the Central City demands a tribute of 1 boy and 1 girl from each district to compete in the Hunger Games, essentially a fight to the death. Everyone is forced to watch the Hunger Games. When her sister's name is drawn, Katniss volunteers to take her place. This book is addictive, it keeps getting worse, yet you can't put it down. Although I haven't finished it yet, it looks like one that might be highly recommended.

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About Me

I am the Teen Librarian at a public library and have always loved to read. I focus mostly on teen titles, but I do have a few favorite adult authors that I tend to follow. I love to review the books I read and recommend them to others.

Disclosure

I receive no compensation for the reviews on this blog. The opinions expressed here are my personal opinions of the selected works. Most of the books reviewed here are either checked out from my public library, purchased by me, or given to me as gifts from family or friends. If I win a copy for review, or receive a copy for review from a publisher, I will note that on the review.